The little brain never loses, particularly in politics

APIn this Dec. 27, 2006 photo provided by the National Enquirer, former U.S. Sen. John Edwards, D-NC, is shown with videographer Rielle Hunter in the 9th Ward of New Orleans, La. On Friday, Aug. 8, 2008, Edwards admitted to having an affair with Hunter. (AP Photo/The National Enquirer)

Chalk up another easy victory for the little brain.

The little brain is south of the big brain on males of the species, and while smaller than its northern counterpart, little brain is far more powerful. It easily wins many if not most internal arguments, especially when it comes to politicians.

Case in point: former senator and presidential wannabe John Edwards.

Here was a guy with every reason not to indulge the whims and fancies of little brain.

First, he's married to a smart, attractive woman who publicly and passionately supported him while he followed his political dreams.

She campaigned for him even as she battled breast cancer, which is so courageous it's almost unbelievable. Where she found the energy is beyond me. But love will make you do crazy things, I guess.

If that weren't enough reason to ignore little brain's incessant prattling, John Edwards also had the hopes and dreams of millions of Americans to consider.

At one point Edwards was a top contender for the Democratic nomination. Many could easily imagine him as the man who would retake the White House and lead the country out of the current dark days.

Being a smart guy, surely the lesson of Bill Clinton and his dalliance with Monica Lewinsky couldn't have been lost on Edwards. Clinton listened to little brain and squandered all his administration's good work.

Even worse, Clinton's tawdry affair spawned the fear and loathing of Democrats that swept George Bush into office, thus helping to create the very mess that Edwards, as president, would have been charged with cleaning up.

So Edwards clearly knew that if he were found out, it would be all over for his candidacy, and that virtually all male Democrats running for high office forever after would be painted by the opposition with the same broad, adulterous brush.

And yet despite all of that -- a loving wife, the hopes of a country in ruins, his party's reputation, the near certainty that he'd be caught and ruin everything -- he listened to little brain and had an affair with a campaign videographer, which he was forced to admit to last week.

What is there to say but "Behold, the power of little brain." It turns even the smartest men dumb.

I imagine the internal debate in Edwards, such as it was, went something like this:

Little brain: "Oh, go ahead."

Big brain: "Are you crazy? I'm a presidential candidate. I can't do something like that."

Little brain: "Why not? No one will find out."

Big brain: "But my wife ..."

Little brain: "What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

Big brain: "What about morals and ethics? Shouldn't they count for something?"

Little brain: "Morals, schmorals. Listen, pal, life is like sports. If the ref doesn't call it, there's no foul, right?"

Big brain: "Um, well, if you're sure ..."

Little brain: "Sure I'm sure. Trust me, you'll thank me."

By now, Edwards knows how much of a lie that was. Few thank the little brain. It seldom leads anyone down a good road.

It's an amazing, mystifying thing.

I'm a guy and even I sometimes think someone ought to develop a vaccine.